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So, if you have been following this blog for quite some time, you will see that I try to equally balance my posts between tales of my daily adventures & discussion of any political/social problem currently going on in the world. One thing I can definitely credit living abroad for teaching me is to wake the hell up. I am 23-years-old, I have friends all over the world & would consider myself fairly ‘well-traveled’, therefore it’s time to drastically widen my horizons beyond social media & reality tv. And this is what I am trying to do.

I am not on any sort of agenda here. I am not trying to argue with you or make you share my beliefs. I am just using my first amendment right to tell you that the world absolutely DOES NOT revolve around this country. As much as we act like it does.

How safe do you really feel these days? #FirstWorldProblems, right?

I just pray that at least one of my posts has made you think ‘Hmm, maybe Feminism IS a real thing”, or “Wait, I can totally see how white privilege exists”, or “Wow, that football player/celebrity only got fined for beating his girlfriend?”, or maybe even, “I met this wonderful person from a Third World Country, whoa, they’re just like me!”

We like to fall into this pattern of thinking things like ‘it doesn’t affect me, so it’s not that big of a deal’…well, guess what, things like Global Warming, Ebola & ISIS were considered ‘international crises’ long before they became a direct threat to the American people. It’s just that your bubble of privilege kept you distracted.

So how long will you stay distracted?

The whole point of this post & what I have been dissecting all along is the idea illustrated in this well-written list :

American Privilege (it was written 4 years ago, but I still hear people say things like this every day)

How many of these things do you see/hear/feel every day? Who says it: family, friends, adults, children, the media, the government? Now, what are you going to do to stop it?

Sorry, I’ve been M.I.A. yet again, dear readers. I’d like to say I have some amazing excuse. That something like new jobs, new adventures, or new experiences have been keeping me from writing in this blog to you. However, that is just a boldfaced lie.

Since I wrote to you last I haven’t been country-hopping & exploring like my old life in Prague. I have been sitting on the couch mostly (remember when I told you all about that awful dog bite? Yeah, that’s not completely healed yet). However, an exciting breakthrough came about two weeks ago: I began walking & exercising again!

I vowed at the end of summer to get my life back together with exercise & healthy eating & now that I am mobile again it’s time to get back to work! I have since taken up a new interest in stir frying every veggie I can get my hands on, & I regularly take 8-9mile walks surrounded by picturesque fall landscape, on top of going to the gym. I think this is exciting, the rest of the world–not so much.

(Sorry, but do you think someone with a 9-5 could just WHIP UP a chicken veggie stir fry over musroom sage quinoa?! No.)

It’s actually cringe-worthy to run into an old family friend or acquaintance, because you know what people ask you at this age:

Them: “So what are you doing these days?”

Hint: they’re not asking me about my new-found love for sweet peppers or how I burned over 500 calories on a walk that day…

Me: “Um, nothing right now.”

Do you know how pathetic I feel having these conversations? Because then their face falls, secretly wondering if I developed an awful crack habit since they saw me last which would prevent even The Olive Garden from hiring me, so I fill in words..

Me: “But yeah…I was injured for a while…and I’m really applying to a few places…”

They then give a thin smile & the conversation is over. But it IS true. What job gives you 2 weeks off for surgery, 2 overnights in the ER & then 2 days off each week afterwards to visit a ‘wound surgeon’. Yeah, maybe not having a job then was best. But now I’m through.

I have a really great amazing job potentially lined up. However, what I found out with my luck–sometimes things really are too good to be true. But as of right now, I made it to the second interview (which I didn’t even knew existed?) & will find out the end of this week (hopefully) if I got the job.

Also happening the end of this week? Filip visits USA!

After over 4 LONG months apart, my favorite Czech is coming to spend 3 whole weeks with me ❤ In the meantime, I am freaking out about the job, trying to find a potential apartment IF I get the job, & plans for Filip’s visit around the fact that I might have to work 9-5 while he’s here. Talk about stress.

Because I am a visual person & writer, I can only think of one scenario right now to explain my current state. I am on a roller coaster, sitting in the very front seat. I am all strapped in, eager for the ride of my life. The car (& dog bite wound) has been cleared & it slowly begins to move forward. Then it moves up & up & up. Slowly, but steadily, it keeps getting higher & higher. I am nervous of course, but at that moment realize I cannot turn back now. So we keep ascending. Roller coaster tracks snake all around below, a lot of loops, turns & twists lie ahead of me on this ride. But I’m excited, I love the rush. Finally, I am at the top of the highest peak, that first initial drop that gives the ride enough momentum to continue. I can hear the click, click, click, underneath me & can see everything exciting that awaits below. The ride pauses for a moment…

And I am waiting there. After a month & a half of doctors visits, pain, cancelled plans, living at home, limping & just being miserable–I am just waiting for the ride of my life to start. I don’t know where it will go, or what will happen–I just know that I am a thrill seeker & I am ready for the next great adventure of my life to begin!